Anyone here run rabbits with beagles?

[MCgunner]

One of the things I miss from my youth. Rabbit hunting with a good dog was great fun. I never had a good dog, but my buddy did. He didn't really try to train the dog, it just naturally started chasing rabbits. I've been thinking lately about getting a beagle pup. I have a few places to chase rabbits, one of 'em I own, but in spring, there's lots of rattlers about in these thickets. I'd be a little afraid of that.

Anyone into it, how hard is it to get the dog started on rabbits. Do the dogs try to chase anything else like deer or hog? Should I think more about finding a dog that is already started on rabbits? Just wondering. Beagles are one of my favorite breeds, and Labs, what with all my duck hunting. I had a good black Lab I trained. He's gone now. Beagles are a little easier to keep in town. I did have an older pet Beagle, didn't chase anything, that got snake bit and died on me.

 

[22-rimfire]

When I was younger, a former life, rabbit hunting with beagles was my number one hunting activity that I looked forward to each fall. Hunted just about every evening after school.

Beagles are probably best. Bassett hounds are great to watch work, but they are bigger. Try to find a short legged one so it trails more slowly, and females tend to spend more time hunting rather than looking for other dogs.

We always had beagles and trained the pups with an older dog that knew what was going on. But it is not necessary. Beagles are natural trailers and with your support will learn what you want them to do. Start training when the pup is maybe 6 months old. Go somewhere there are lots of rabbits and start walking and finding bunnies. You will need to show the dog what scent is important to you.... sounds funny, I know. But they get the idea pretty quickly.

If there is a beagle club around, that is the place to go and perhaps train. Field trials maybe a bit of a stretch, but they routinely stock rabbits so there are lots of them for their field trials. You may even get a pup from one of the folks there. Sometimes the field trial dogs just aren't good enough and the owner will sell them off and they will have been started on trailing rabbits.

My father still lives in the homeplace and lets his beagles run rabbits nearly every day around the house. It is in the country, but highways are always a problem. Beagles have a habit of not being road smart and concentrate on the trail and not getting hit by a car zooming by.

Be careful about shooting over the dogs head (or near them) when they are very young. Ease the dog into the sound of a shotgun. Some will be gun shy no matter what you do. We used to hunt a lot with 22 rifles and handguns later in life for the fun of it. We really didn't care if we got any bunnies, but loved to hear the dogs run and take safe shots with 22's.

Poisonous snakes are a problem. You know that already.

 

[BIGR]

Rabbit hunting with beagles was one of my favorite types of hunting in my younger years. It all began in the 60's when dad bought 5 real good beagles. By the time I was old enough to hunt in the 70's we had several beagles. Matter of fact at one time we 20. We had good jump dogs and ones that were best at staying on the trail of a cottontale. We had a 400 and 150 acre farm that we hunted on and there was no lack of action. In late summer we often turned them loose just to hear them run. As we raised pups, the older dogs helped teach them to hunt. If you can get a good pup and train it some with an older proven dog, it will learn fast. As far as I know our dogs never run any deer much, but they sure did chase bobcats. There was one rough section of the farm that was home to many bobcats. Often the dogs would jump one and run it. If you were in the right spot you could get a shot at the bobcat when they went through the clearings. We sold the dogs in the early 80's and I sure do miss the hunting. I will always have memories of those hunts with my dad.

 

[WolfMansDad]

I did a lot of rabbit hunting when I was a teenager. I had two beagles, both females, and never trained them. They just knew what to do.

Beagles are sweet dogs but not very smart. Don't expect even basic obedience training to go quickly. Oh, and get at least two. They work best in packs.

You can do snake avoidance training with them, if you are worried. Your vet can probably point you to somebody who does that in your area. I used to run my dogs where there were a lot of snakes (anywhere you have rabbits, you have snakes), and they seemed to know to stay clear of them.

 

[MrDig]

Is it true that if you shoot a rabbit while hunting over a beagle, they will never hunt any other game? Somehow this is all they will ever hunt? Curious if this is true or urban legend.

 

[roo_ster]

Wouldn't that be a rural legend?

 

[WolfMansDad]

I shot any and every thing that was in season over my beagles. They only ran rabbits.

 

[Limeyfellow]

I do have a beagle thats good at chasing rabbits but he generally has to be kept inside a rather large fenced area we have. Beagles are really difficult to train to come back as they get to obsessed with trailing. Of course my beagle would rather sniff my rat terriers rear before he gets his arse kicked by her. We just too close to roads to let him run outside a fence and after having to chase him for three miles down a highway when he got loose I tend to keep him on a lead all the time outside a fenced area.

Its been quite a good recovery since he was a rescued dog and previous owner would go off for three days and leave him locked in a cage. When we first got him he was afraid to even go outside but now he loves it and with the number of rabbits in this area he had plenty to chase. I never seen him go after other stuff, even squirrels, though if my rat terrier catches one he often then run off with it to claim credit. They just been too well breed for those pesky rabbits.

 

[koja48]

I have a friend who runs bunnies with beagles . . . he says it's a blast, but I haven't experienced it yet myself. Sure sounds enjoyable. Closest I can come is a Jack Russell that runs me ragged . . .

 

[marksman13]

First time in a while...

Going out to run the dogs in the morning. First time I've gotten behind some good beagles since before I went to Iraq. I'm looking forward to breaking out my grandfather's old Remington Sportsman 58 16 gauge. I've been looking forward to putting this gun in the field where it belongs ever since it was passed on to me. My grandfather would want this gun behind a good pack of beagles. I think the best part of rabbit hunting is the tradition. Nice to know there are others who enjoy the sport.